Conveying device



y 5- c. w. GOODSMAN CONVEYING DEVICE Original Filed Nev. 19, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l way:

July 16 1935. c. w GOQDSMAN 2,008,445

CONVEYING DEVICE} Original Filed Nov. 19, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 Fig.5 25

25 A 24 1 5 l B 2 6 JE'L 56 5 57 ga 5.5 E

272 2/67? Zor: (/zarZes Ufioodsznarz July 16, 1935. c. w. GOODSMAN CONVEYING DEVICE Original Filed Nov. 19, 1932 .3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 16, 1935 PATENT OFFICE;

CONVEYING DEVICE Charles W. Goodsman, Portland,.0reg., assignor to Frigid Fluid Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation (of Illinois Original application Novemberle, 1932, Serial No. 643,455. Divided and this application May 10, 1934, Serial No. 724,996 7 10 Claims.

This invention relates to conveying devices adapted particularly for use intransporting heavy articles, such as concrete burial, vaults, tombstones, and the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provideadeviceg'light'in weight, which may grip the article tobe moved, raise it, and facilitate propelling it to the desired location.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanismwhich will enable a casket to be interred within a burial vault in a novel and simple manner.

The present application is a division of my application, Serial No. 643,455, 'filed November 19, 1932, relating to a Burial vault lowering device.

' The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in

Which 1 Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved apparatus carrying a burial vault, the mechanism at the right showing a lowering device of the character described in 'my parent application, on which is-supported the base member of a vault on which has been placed a casket; Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of a grave over which the lowering device and conveying mechanism have been positioned to lower'the top portion of the vault into position; Fig. 3 is a side'elevational view of one of the conveying devices in engagement with a burial vault; Fig. 4 is a broken side elevational view of one of the conveyingdevices; Fig5 is a vertical sectional view taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6' is a view similar to Fig. 4, but taken from the opposite side; Fig. 7 is a broken top plan view of the device; Fig. 8 is a front elevational View showing one of the conveying wheels in gripping engagement with a vault'cover; Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, but showingthe gripper in released position; Fig. 10 is a front elevational View of a pair of devices in engagement with a vault, showing a chain for connecting the two devices; and Fig. 11 is a broken plan view of the gripper-operating hand lever, taken as indicated at line 11 of Fig. 6.

In the embodiment illustrated, A designates a monowheel, in..which is rotatably mounted a frame B; C, a jack screw adapted to raise and lower a slide member D; and E, gripper means for attaching an article to be moved to the conveying mechanism.

As best shown in Figs. 4-6, the wheel A comprises an outer tire portion l2 and an inner flange l3 equipped with an internal gear I4.

The frame member or spider B is provided with laterally extending arms I5, in which are journaled rollers. l6. Said rollers are provided with end flanges II which straddle the gear. l4 and bear against theflange l3. A similar roller, but of larger size, (8 is journaled in the lower portion of the frame, which is shaped in the formof a housing l9. At the upper portion of the frame, a shaft 29, provided witha crank head 2|, is iournaled. Upon the shaft 20 is fixedly mounted a driving gear or pinion 22 which is in mesh with the internal gear M; Thus it will be understood that by rotating the shaft 20 by means of a hand crank 23, the wheel A will be rotated relative to the frame or spider B.

As best shown in Fig. 5, the jack shaft C is also journaled in the frame B and is provided with a thrust shoulder 24 which supports the shaft in position. A spacing collar 25 may be provided and held in position by means of a threaded collar 25., The end of the shaft C has a crank head 21 which is similar in size to the crank head 2|. If desired,.a pipe 28 may loosely enclose the upper end of the shaft Cand. make threaded. engage: ment with the collar '26-. l m J In order to raise a vault, or similar object, by means of the jack scr;ew, the slide member .D is provided. The downwardly, extending legs v3!) serve asguides for the member D'whichmakes threadedv engagement, with the jack shaft by means of the rigidly connected nut 3 l. .Thememher I) is also provided with an outwardly extend-- ing foot or ledge 32 which is adapted to engage beneath the edge of a vault. Thus, it will be understood that when the shaft C is rotated, the slide member D will be raised or lowered, As

shown in Figs. 4 and 10, the member D isprovided with slots 33 which are adapted to receive I a chain 34 extending beneath the load and holding the devices in engagement therewith. i

In order to clamp theobject carried on the ioot 32, a gripping device B may beprovided. 1 This gripping device comprises a cross bar 35 provided with horizontal arms 36' between which a gear nut 31 is threaded to the screw shaft 0. A hand lever '38 is also journaled on the jack screw and is pro,-

vided with apivotally mounted pawl member 3'9 which may be positioned to rotate the gearfnut in either direction, to raise or lower the bar35. A pair of downwardly extending hooks 40 are connected to each other by means of a cross bar 4! and are pivotally connected at their upper ends to the cross bar 35 by means of cap screws 42. Thus it will be understood that when it is desired to grip the edge of a vault against the conveying device, the members 40 may be swung inwardly by hand or foot pressure on the cross bar 4| and the grippers may be raised into the position shown in Fig. 8 by rotating the gear nut 31 by .means of hand lever 38. By properly positioning the pawl 39, the gear nut will or will not rotate with the screw shaft C and the grippers may be held in a desired position with respect to the frame B. 3

As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, it is sometimes desirable to place a block of wood 63 between thewall of the vault and the conveying device. 'In

using the conveying device, one or the members cases, keeps the center ofgravity of the load below the center of the wheel Aand there is very littlete'ndency for the box to. rock about the conveying devicep While .not necessary, it is sometimes desirable to lay planksover soft ground or grass-covered lawns to prevent damage to the same. If it is desired to move the article over a curbing, the device may be raised the necessary distance and it will be understood that by the mechanical advantage obtained by the gearing, it is possible to transport the load over very steep grades without difficulty. One workman is required to handle each of the two wheels and to turn the device it is merely necessary to rotate one of the gears 23 faster than the other.

. By using the conveying mechanism in connection with the lowering device shown in Fig. l, a very simple method of completely assembling the vault within the grave may be followed. That is, the casket may be placed in the vault and the vault sealed before it is lowered into its final each of the mono-wheels is equipped with verposition. Usually, the vault has a base portion and a box-shaped cover 5|, although in some cases the base 50 is in the form of a box and a cover completes the closure.

conveying wheels may be used to position the base '50 upon the lowering device before the funeral party arrives. The pall-bearers may then place the casket on the base 58 and the two The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

In either case, the

pair of tractor wheels, each of the wheels having parts of said lifting-means.

I claim: p v v 1. A conveying device comprising: a wheel equipped with an internal gear; a spider rotatably secured within said wheel; a manually operable pinion gear journalled on said spider and meshing with said internal gear; and lifting means mounted on said spider andadapted to'hold the spider in operative upright position while carrying a load.

2. A vault-conveying device comprising: a

wheel; a spider rotatably secured within said wheel; manually operable driving-means mounted on said spider} a jack screw journalled in said spider; and a slide member having a threaded connection with said screw and adapted to engage the edge of a vault and hold the spider upright while said driving-means is actuated.

3. Mechanism as specified in claim 2, including releasable gripping-means for holding the slide member in engagement with the vault.

4; Mechanism as specified, inclaim 2, including gripping-means for holding the slide memher in engagement with the vault, said gripping-'- means being movable longitudinally of the screw and. to and from said slide member.

5. A vault-conveying i device comprising: a tractor wheel equipped with a driving gear; a

frame rotatably mounted on said wheel and supported in upright position thereby; a manually operable gear journalled on said frameand in mesh with said driving gear; and vault-lifting meansmounted on said frame.

6. Vault-conveying apparatus; comprising; a pair of mono-wheels having individual lifting meansmounted 'on each wheel and adapted to engage opposite edges of a vault; and independent driving-meanson each of said wheels for pro;- pelling the same individually whereby. the direction of movement of the vault may be controlled. I I v 7. Mechanism as specified in claim 6, inwhlch tically adjustable means for gripping the edge'ot the vault.

8. Vault-conveying apparatus comprising:

an inside track; a spider rotatably mounted within each of said wheels and having guide- .means engaging said track; driving-means mounted on. each of said spiders so as to drive said Wheels; a jack screw journalled on each of said spiders; and a slide member threaded on each of said jack screws, said members being adaptedto engage the lower edge of a vaultto raise the same.

9. In a conveying device: a mono-wheel; a spider journalled in said wheel; and manually 0pverable lifting meansmounted on and supported by said spider so as to hold the spider upright when the wheel is rotated with respectthereto.

10. Vault-c'onveying apparatus comprising: a pair of mono-wheels; a spiderjournalled in each of said mono-wheels and equipped with liftingmeans having a vertically movable part; and flexible means connecting the vertically movable CHARLES w. GOODSMAN f 

